Long, long ago, legend has it, the demigod Maui became incensed with the
sun. It passed too swiftly over his Hawaiian island, leaving little
time for fruits to ripen or womenfolk to dry their tapa cloth. So, with
a web of 16 ropes, Maui lassoed the sun. "Give me my life," pleaded
Sol. "I will," replied the demigod, "if you promise to move more slowly
across our sky." The sun consented, and to this day, islanders swear,
its arc is longer, its rays more...